Miniature rose plant named `Meicaflon`

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct variety of rose plant of the Miniature Class is provided which abundantly forms attractive Neyron Rose blossoms that display a radiant appearance. A hanging growth habit is exhibited that renders the plant well suited for growing outdoors in a hanging basket. The plant propagates well from cuttings. The blossoms possess no fragrance, and the foliage is glossy.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

The new variety of Miniature rose plant was created by artificialpollination wherein two parents were crossed which previously had beenstudied in the hope that they would contribute the desiredcharacteristics. The female parent (i.e., the seed parent) of the newvariety was `The Fairy` variety (non-patented in the United States). Themale parent (i.e., the pollen parent) of the new variety was the productof a cross between the `Katharina Zeimet` variety (non-patented in theUnited States) and the `Meijikatar` variety (U.S. Plant Pat. No. 4,682).The parentage of the new variety can be summarized as follows:

    `The Fairy`×(`Katharina Zeimet`×`Meijikatar`)

The seeds resulting from the above pollination were sown and smallplants were obtained which were physically and biologically differentfrom each other. Selective study resulted in the identification of asingle plant of the new variety.

It was found that the new variety of Miniature rose plant of the presentinvention possesses the following combination of characteristics:

(a) forms in abundance attractive blossoms that are radiant Neyron Rosein coloration,

(b) exhibits a hanging growth habit,

(c) forms glossy medium green foliage,

(d) propagates well on its own roots, and

(e) is particularly suited for growing as ornamentation in a hangingbasket.

The new variety well meets the needs of the horticultural industry. Itis particularly well-suited for use as attractive ornamentation whengrowing outdoors in a hanging pot.

The new variety has been found to undergo asexual propagation in Franceby a number of routes, including budding, grafting and cuttage. Asexualpropagation by the above-mentioned methods as performed in France hasshown that the characteristics of the new variety are strictlytransmissible from one generation to another.

The new variety has been named the `Meicaflon` variety.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPH

The accompanying photograph shows as nearly true as it is reasonablypossible to make the same, in a color illustration of this character,typical specimens of the plant parts of the new variety. The rose plantsof the new variety were two years of age and were observed duringNovember while growing on their own roots indoors at LeCannet desMaures, Var, France.

FIG. 1 illustrates a specimen of a young shoot;

FIG. 2 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud before the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 3 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thesepals;

FIG. 4 illustrates a specimen of a floral bud at the opening of thepetals;

FIG. 5 illustrates a specimen of a flower during the course of opening;

FIG. 6 illustrates a specimen of an open flower-- plan view-- obverse;

FIG. 7 illustrates a specimen of an open flower-- plan view-- reverse;

FIG. 8 illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower-- plan view--obverse;

FIG. 9 illustrates a specimen of a fully open flower--plan view--reverse;

FIG. 10 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the stamens and pistils;

FIG. 11 illustrates a specimen of a floral receptacle showing thearrangement of the pistils (stamens removed);

FIG. 12 illustrates a specimen of a flowering stem;

FIG. 13 illustrates a specimen of a main branch;

FIG. 14 illustrates specimens of leaves with three leaflets with theupper surface being shown at the top right and the under surface beingshown at the bottom left;

FIG. 15 illustrates specimens of leaves with five leaflets with theupper surface being shown at the top right and the under surface beingshown at the bottom left; and

FIG. 16 illustrates specimens of leaves with seven leaflets with theupper surface being shown at the left and the under surface being shownat the right.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

The chart used in the identification of the colors is that of The RoyalHorticultural Society (R.H.S. Colour Chart). The terminology whichpreceds reference to the chart has been added to indicate thecorresponding colors in more common terms. The description is based ontwo year-old specimens of the new variety which were observed duringNovember while growing on Rosa froebelli understock indoors at LeCannetdes Maures, Var, France.

Class: Miniature.

Plant:

Height.--Approximately 35 cm. on average at the end of the growingseason.

Habit.--Hanging.

Branches:

Color.--Young stems: light green, green group 137D. Adult wood: mediumgreen, green group 137B.

Thorns.--Size: small. Quantity: moderately numerous.

Leaves:

Petioles.--Upper surface: striped, reddish on young foliage and mediumgreen on mature foliage with more or less glandular edges. Undersurface: light green and bear some small thorns.

Stipules Adnate, pectinate, and linear.

Leaflets Number: 3, 5 (most often), and 7. Shape: elliptic. Texture:consistent. General appearance: very dense, and glossy foliage. Color(young foliage): Upper surface: medium green, green group 137C. Undersurface: light green, green group 139C. Color (adult foliage): Uppersurface: dark green, green group 137A. Under surface: medium green,green group 138B.

Inflorescence:

Number of flowers.--Commonly approximately 6 to 15 per stem in clusters.

Peduncle.--Light green and more or less tinted with reddish browncoloration, and the length is approximately 3 to 4 cm. on average.

Sepals.--Upper surface: tomentose, and greenish in coloration. Undersurface: light green in coloration and commonly with weak extensions.

Buds.--Shape: conical. Length: Approximately 1.5 cm. on average. Size:small. Color upon opening: Upper surface: light rose bengal, red-purplegroup 57C. Under surface: neyron rose, red-purple group 58C.

Flower.--Form: flattened cup. Diameter: approximately 4 cm. on average.Color (when opening begins): Upper surface: light neyron rose, red group55C with lighter outside petals. Under surface: light neyron rose, redgroup 55C with lighter outside petals. Color (when blooming): Undersurface: light neyron rose, red group 55C with lighter outside petalsand more or less suffused with medium neyron rose, red group 55B. Undersurface: light neyron rose, red group 55C with lighter outside petalsand more or less suffused with medium neyron rose, red group 55B. Color(at end of opening): Upper surface: light Neyron Rose, Red Group 55Cwith lighter outside petals and more or less suffused with medium neyronrose, red group 55B. Under surface: light neyron rose, red group 55Cwith lighter outside petals and more or less suffused with medium neyronrose, red group 55B. Fragrance: none. Petal number: approximately 25 onaverage. Petal shape: oval. Petal drop: good. Anthers: normal and ochrein coloration. Stamen number: approximately 72 on average. Filaments:greenish straw in coloration. Pistil number: approximately 58 onavreage. Stigmas: normal and greenish straw in coloration. Styles:greenish straw in coloration. Receptacle: medium green, and inlongitudinal section in the shape of a pear.

Lasting quality: long on the plant.

Development:

Vegetation.--Very strong.

Blooming.--Very abundant.

Resistance to diseases.--Good.

Aptitude to bear fruit.--Good.

I claim:
 1. A new and distinct variety of Miniature rose plantcharacterized by the following combination of characteristics:(a) formsin abundance attractive blossoms that are radiant Neyron Rose incoloration, (b) exhibits a hanging growth habit, (c) forms glossy mediumgreen foliage, (d) propagates well on its own roots, and (e) isparticularly suited for growing as oramentation in a hangingbasket;substantially as herein shown and described.